March 2005

Um, definitely the answer is NO. But...I can't stop making them. It's totally addictive! I suppose this is why people start selling their bags? I'm hoping to add this one to the growing collection of Christmas/Solstice gifts that I'm making now instead of in November when I have a 4 year old, a 2 year old, and a 2 month old vying for attention with my sewing machine.

My sister had a bag shaped (round bottomed) like this that I loved, so I tried to copy the shape a bit for this one. It came out pretty well, I think, though it's a bit too tall, and could perhaps use some embellishment of some kind on the outside. Of course, it's Amy Butler fabric (leftover from the dress I made the other day!)

The temperature intown reads 55 degrees. Playing in the sand and on the rocks at Kettle Cove. A first trip for ice cream to Beals. Flowers are poking their way through the snow and the mud. The garden is half melted.Birds at the feeders.Open windows.

I'm trying to recover from what has been possibly my worst knitting drought ever (a bit dramatic this morning?). It started with--of course--a ton of Christmas/Solstice presents that eventually weren't so "fun" to knit night after night; and then there was the damned legwarmer saga ; and then the two (yes, two) hats I need to knit for a Craftster swap due in a few weeks (have I started? No! I'm a work under pressure-right at the deadline kinda gal); and lastly in my knitting stump has been a linen lace washcloth on size 1 needles (!) that just ain't happenin' so fast (even though it needs to happen because it's part of a collaborative wedding gift for a knitting group member due basically, um, now!).

So, anyway, I've found this wonderful cropped cardigan (aka, a bolero!) in issue 28 of Rebecca that will get me over this knitting stump. I love it! And think it will be so much fun to wear with a pregnant belly this spring and summer. I wanted to use a yarn quite different from the one used in the pattern (GGH Amelie), and found this Classic Elite Beatrice merino wool that I really like at my favorite LYS (Stitching Mantis in Cape Elizabeth). Sometimes I kinda suck at colors (I particularly suck at picking out colors with a 2 year old on my hip, and a 4 year old running through the yarn store loading up with random balls of "yellow" yarn), but I think this tweedy effect might work. We'll see. I gauged and then started last night while watching Charlotte Gray (which I LOVED....Cate Blanchett is so hot).

In other exciting news....it's been raining here for two days and melting lots of snow. Yahoo!!! And today, the sun is shining, and I hear it might reach the high 50's. Spring really is coming, isn't it??!

I finished this dress last night for a four year old friends birthday this weekend. I LOVE this Amy Butler fabric, and it was so much fun to make. I might try to make a matching sun hat today, though I've never done that before. And I'd definitely like to try a scaled down version of it for the boys' dolls (even though I'm the only one that dresses the dolls!)

aio from Shinhatsubai! has just posted a tutorial on Craftster for her delicious felt cake (created originally, I believe, for the Alice in Wonderland Month of Softies). I've been admiring this cake ever since I saw it, and am so pleased that she decided to share her tutorial for it (Thank You!!). How fun will it be to make variations of this for the kids' "play kitchen"? Or even better....for me!! YUM!!!

Ezra is officially no longer nursing. At this point in my pregnancy with him (when Calvin was still nursing--and the same age as Ez is now), Calvin was persistent through the changes in pregnancy. There was NO way he was stopping. But with Ezra, it's been quite different, and the past few weeks he's been saying, "all gone" when he tries to nurse. And then he moves on. Miraculous. I'm thrilled that there will be a little break between nursing this one and the next...it's been over four years straight for me, and I'm happy to have even a tiny part of my body "back" for just a few months. Even though there is some sadness about it as well. I've got lots of reasons why Ez has weaned so much easier than Cal did--mostly having to do with emotional "stuffing" with nursing and things like that, but that's a whole other long subject. The point of this post is: now that Ez is not nursing, we need to figure out how to get him to sleep! For the past weeks, it's been a matter of lots of rocking, singing, stories, cuddles, some crying.....all of which usually culminates in Steve driving him to sleep, after complete frustration from both Steve and I.

Tonight, after a crazy, chaotic and highly sugared day (um, yeah...who started this damn tradition of giving small children CANDY in the MORNING???!! I swear it stops this year!!), we began the long process of bedtime. My body was exhausted, and my thoughts were with all the "other" things I needed and wanted to do after the boys fell asleep. So as I lay there with Ezra (after doing all the books, singing and stories I could muster), pretending to be asleep (that never works--who said that works?), he started on his never-gets-old game of "naming" things--one word at a time--a perfect way to practice all the talking he's bursted out with lately. So the monologue goes something like this:

"ZaZa head. Mama head. ZaZa Eye. Mama Eye. ZaZa shoulder. Mama shoulder. ZaZa Beard. Mama Beard. (SouleSpeak for "chin"..I don't really have a beard)." and through all the other many body parts he knows. And then on to clothes and other objects in the room, "pants. shirt. diaper. blanket. pillow. bed. light. window. curtain." And then he moved on to songs. "Mama mockingbird." and "California. Island. Forest. Desert." and "Rock. Baby." Next came a story, which sounded like this, "Happened? Lucy. Tree. Fall. Broke. Arm. Shirt. Owl Fix. Tape." He went on like this--a stream of words, for a half an hour. And then he suddenly stopped, opened my eye with his finger, got as close as he could to peek in, and said, "mama. looooove you."

Be still my beating heart. Please help me to remember these moments forever.

I'm so pleased with this little bag I made yesterday. It used to be my favorite sweater! Until I could no longer deal with the peppermint candy stripes, and felted it to use as fabric. It's just a simple little zippered purse lined with cotton fabric--I think I'll use it for on-the-go knitting tools. I have lots of the sweater left, and can't decide whether to make more of these as gifts, or to use it as my first attempt at a wool diaper cover (but yeah, I kinda need a serger and a snap setter first....minor obstacles, hee hee).

I must admit, though, a little dissapointment at how "easy" this project was...compared to how similar it looks to this other bag (below) that I've made many times in the past. This second bag I knit and then felt, and handsew in a lining and a zipper. It takes HOURS and hours. Of course, the bag above--from an already knitted and felted sweater, and using a sewing machine, took all of 20 MINUTES! I'm dissapointed at how they look exactly the same to me! Not sure I'll be knitting many more of these now....

And then, a happy mail day yesterday! A package from Sewzannes with these fabric eye goodies (I love how fast her shipping is!!). Two Amy Butler fabrics (for a spring tote, I think), and 3 glorious yards of Munki Munki plaid flannel (for the baby blanket back, and maybe some pj bottoms too). Ah....heavenly fabric!!

So I've been buying (way too much--ask my husband) Munki Munki jersey lately, because sadly, that's all that's really available right now. :( And what else is jersey good for besides, um, pajamas!!?? (other ideas, anyone?!) So here's what I'm sure will be the first of MANY pair of summer PJ's for the boys. I used the Fireflies fabric ("always remember to set the fireflies free"), which I adore. I'm a little bummed that from a distance, it kind of looks like my kid is wearing hospital scrubs. Oh well. It's a Butterick pattern, and it called for velcro (velcro? Ick!) on the neck, so I substituted that with snaps.

Here's the big kid in his new jammies (and a closeup of the fabulous fabric!). Two seconds earlier he was jumping up and down with excitement about his new pajamas, so I have no idea what this face is for, but the battery ran out on my camera right after this pic, so this is what I got!

Not much craftiness happening here in the past few days, as we've been busy with celebrating the arrival of Spring and getting ready for Easter. But I did manage to whip up this bag quickly yesterday for Auntie Ba--she wanted a change bag, and I thought this was perfect. I was psyched--it's the first time I've tried the pattern (an "accessories" pattern from the 1950's), and it went so smooth. I'm looking forward to trying it out with different fabrics, embellishments, straps, etc.

This is crazy....BOTH of my kids are NAPPING!!! I don't even know what to do with myself! You'd think I'd be running around trying to get stuff done, or even *sitting in silence*. But instead, what am I doing? Taking pictures of my sleeping kids. I need help.

Feeling a little cabin fever stir-crazy, I've been crazily motivated to find ways to let spring in the house (even if it doesn't appear to be OUTSIDE yet!). I made these curtains last week for our living room doors--they're replacing a heavy, dark green jacquard, and oh, it makes such a difference to have COLOR!!! I backed the curtains with an unbleached cotton muslin. Here they are (with Calvin, of course, who seems to always appear at the same moment that the camera does--never one to pass up a photo op!). And by the way, I swear the curtains (and the sewing on them) are straight! They look a little funky in the photo.

I also made a few pillows to match. I still need to make a couple more, but I'm waiting for the forms to be on sale first. ;) I got the down-like pillow forms, and really love them!

And then, I finally made a cover for my sewing machine. I used the flannel that was part of the pillow/curtain mix. I know, it's kind of boring, but I'm just so excited I finally made a cover after intending to do so for so long now!

Pattern: Lovable Toys from Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle HoversonYarn: Green Mountain Spinnery's Mountain MohairPattern Notes: This was such a fun pattern to do! I got totally stumped at one point on the joining of the legs (for some reason, the simple step--albiet with two circular needles-- was getting me all confused), but the friendly folks over at Craftster set me straight. I stuffed him with cotton. Overall, I'm pleased with how it came out. I am once again reminded that my embroidery skills could use some work, and I think the ears look more like an elephants. But all of that's okay....my kids are amazingly forgiving. ;)

Okay, one more bunny to go! Six days. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. Whew.

The knitted bunny is almost done....really it's close! Unfortunately, so is Easter, and I had hopes of making one for each of the boys' baskets. Hmn....still possible.

I thought a little inspiration for knitted toys would help me get motivated, so here's a quick pic of some other little bobbles I've knit for the boys.

The rug in the attic of the farmhouse is one that my great grandmother made when she was a little girl, learning how to knit! What a treat that I found it. The two large balls are from Melanie Falick's' Knitting for Baby book--they're felted. Really a fun project, and great baby gift. Which reminds me that I should make some more. ;) And then, in the "attic" is the shy sheep, the kitty cat, and downstairs is the gnome boy.

You must hear this CD, and even better--share it with your kids! Released last fall (I'm a little slow), Dan Zanes Parades and Panoramas: 25 Songs Collected by Carl Sandburg. An amazing collection of 25 American Folk Songs from Sandberg's 1927 bookThe American Songbag. The CD is full of some amazing traditional American folk music--all from the "real people" making music--the miners, sailors, farmers and cowboys (and girls!). And with Zanes' collection of musician friends playing on the recording, there's a wonderful sound to these old songs.

So, Easter's next week? How is that possible? There is a mountain of snow in our backyard that certainly isn't going anywhere in the next week! Damn...how will we ever do an easter egg hunt (that Calvin is so excited about--remembering last year). Oh yeah, and how will I ever get any Easter "stuff" done? I've got half of ONE knitted bunny done--I still need to do another. Yikes.

So, in the interest of procrastinating on easter crafting even longer,
I bought this book at Marden's yesterday. It's adorable! So much great
stuff in there that I won't have time to make this year (but next year,
you know, once there are THREE children in the house--then,
THEN....I'll have LOTS of free time for Easter crafts!! Ha!). Here are two of my favorite "must do's" in the book..... the egg tree, and the "Ivory Eggshells with Lemon Cream". Oh yumminess.

After we cleared out from the storm the first place I went, of course, was to the fabric store! I drove an hour to get to my new favorite discount fabric shop (further enticing me to move up there). And on the way, I stopped by Jessie's to steal her away from her family to join me (thanks, Dave). Now if I can just find a way to steal her away for a weekend fabric shopping trip to NEW YORK!! Hmn....

Here's what I found. This first pic is the fabric I'll use for new pillows and curtains in the living room, which needs a serious lift (or rather, *I* need a serious lift this time of year--I suppose my living room doesn't really care). I still need to find one more contrasting fabric I think--something solid or a really big print for the lining of the curtains. The middle is flannel, which I bought to make myself jammies with, but when I put it next to the other two, I love how it looks.

And then, this stuff. Which will turn into shirts for the boys (the animal print), baby bibs (the frogs and small fat quarters), and ric rac--because you can never have too much ric rac on hand, now can you?

After the kids went to bed tonight, I did a bit of sewing while Steve shovelled off the roofs (that doesn't seem quite fair, does it?). I've been wanting to make some baby bibs for this new babe, because the ones I've used for both Calvin and Ezra are beyond gross. So I traced my favorite bib for the pattern, used a flannel for the back, cotton for the front, and some lightweight canvas for lining. And voila! Baby Bibs! I'm psyched--once I got in the swing, the last one only took 25 minutes. I'm hoping to crank some more out to keep on hand for baby gifts and showers, etc.

This is about the point in each year where I seriously question our decision to live in Maine. This is what my garden looks like right now. More snow. And more snow coming.

So while we're snowbound, I'm getting a few things done. I made a simple head kerchief from the vintage pattern I posted yesterday. Calvin wants me to make him one now too. ;) I love this fabric I used--it's from the Free Spirit line, I got it at Marden's for $2 a yard! WooHoo!

And here's a felted, knit bear that I made for Calvin a long time ago. But just today got around to putting on the face and clothes. The eyes are kinda freakin me out a bit, so they might have to go. But up close--they're really beautiful vintage buttons.

I saw this great coloring book on GetCrafty and had to check it out. There are some really fun illustrations in here--perfect for bringing springtime on! Calvin and I have been having lots of fun coloring it in.

To get your own (free!) copy, visit her Jessica's blog and send her an email requesting the pdf file. In return, she asks you to link to a "finished" page (will do soon!). Thanks, Jessica, for putting it together! What a great idea!

We were so inspired by the idea of creating your own coloring book, that we're doing just that! Yesterday I worked on a few pictures for it, and hope to do some more today. I've copied a few for the kids to color in already, but I'm thinking about putting together a bunch of springtime drawings, copying and binding them so they look like a "real" coloring book (hee hee), and including them in their Easter baskets. Here's a quick pic of the drawings I did yesterday to get started. Be gentle--my drawing skills are so rusty, but it was fun nonetheless. And luckily, my kids are forgiving!

In honor of National Women's History Month, I wanted to share just a few
images of some of the amazing women in US History who have profoundly changed the world in which we live. Since chances are good that we didn't learn about any of them in
our high school history classes, check out some of these links for some
wonderful perspective. And please--share your favorite woman leader in the "comments" section.

Calvin drew this picture this morning (Papa assisted on parts of the truck). And the beauty of it is also in the story he told me about it, "when I grow up, and go to real fires with Grampie, I'm going to draw one of these for all the people that get hurt and give it to them."

Okay, I know at first glance that this might appear to fall under the "she has way too much time on her hands" category (you know I'm talking to you, Katie!). But really, I've wanted a Birthday Banner since the kids were born. And it was actually a really perfectly timed project that Calvin could help me with--since he's really into the alphabet right now. He's asked me now to make one with the whole alphabet. I'm not sure that I'm up for that much more of this project, but I do think he has a fabulous idea--so perhaps I'll try to come up with something similar to use--an alphabet quilt? Or maybe quilted alphabet squares that are free-standing and he could move around? Hmn....

To make the banner, I used scrap material for the letters, stitched them onto a piece of the polka dotted fabric, then used a heavyweight interfacing, and backed it, turned the whole thing inside out, and when the letters were all done, I sewed them into some pink bias tape. On top of that, I put a layer of pink ric rac. I'm pleased with how it came out....and ready to use it for Ezra's Birthday in April! Will he really be TWO???

I love this bag! After the crazy shirt making experience today, I was anxious to start something fun, so I whipped up this bag from a vintage linen dishtowel! I used a heavyweight interfacing, and some thick cottonweave for the lining, so it's plenty strong and sturdy. I'm loving this pattern (it's the same one as the pink polka dots I made last week), and I need to write down the "pattern" before I forget how I did it. But unlike the pink polka dots, this one is so perfectly "me"....I can't wait to use it! And I think I even have some more linens like this that I might make another with. Here are the pics, and as always, click on them to view larger image:

Yay! The Pool Shirt is done. I used the fabulous Munki Munki Pool Party print--so adorable. The pattern was a bit more of a bear than I expected--particularly the collar. Originally, I had a plan to make one for Steve and Ezra too, but now I'm not so sure! Here's the shirt, almost done (click to enlarge), and a closeup of the cute fabric....I think I'm going to send the shirt off to Nana--the professional seamstress!--to do the buttonholes for me (my machine doesn't seem to like to do buttonholes, and neither do I. Hee Hee).

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Greetings! I'm Amanda Blake Soule - mother of five, author of three books on family creativity, and editor-in-chief of Taproot Magazine. I live with my family in an old farmhouse in Western Maine where we raise animals, grow vegetables and make lots of things. I write about it all here on the blog. Thank you for visiting!